The Daily Life of Hugo Weasley
by Piggwidgeon
Summary: The daily life of Hugo Weasley; enough said. Mild language.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Don't own Potter property.

"So, Ronald," Professor Flitwick said, the ancient little man perched upon a pile of books stacked on his chair, "what are you thinking for a career?"

"You can call me Hugo, professor," Hugo said. He hated it when people called him by his first name. It made him feel inferior, like he acted like his father. Hugo made a point not to act like his father.

"Of course, of course," Professor Flitwick said.

"Well…I'd like to go to Romania with my Uncle Charlie and work with dragons."

"Ah, taking the dangerous path, I see," Flitwick said, flipping through the folder on his desk.

Hugo remained silent. He did not like having one on one conversations with professors. Particularly the teachers who still remembered his parents; they were impossible to talk to without references to the great Ron and Hermione Weasley. It drove him up the wall. Al said he had the same problem.

"For that…you will need a NEWT in charms, care for magical creatures of course, and potions."

Hugo nodded silently. He had expected as much.

"You know, Hugo," Professor Flitwick said, an air of tentativeness in his voice. "If I may be so bold to say it, you may be better suited for work in the ministry. I could see you becoming a fine Minister of Magic someday, and I don't say that about just anyone."

Hugo glared at Flitwick. There was no way in the wizarding world that he was going to work in the ministry, only to be overshadowed by his mother. He was not going to stand for it. He was a Ravenclaw. He was Hugo. He had a mind of his own.

"Will that be all, professor?"

"Yes, Hugo, I believe it will be."

3

Slytherin narrowly won the quidditch cup against the incumbent Gryffindor. Most of the school lamented this fact. There was no doubt in anyone's mind that there was some unfair play. But one thing they could not deny was that their fourth year keeper, Lily Potter, put on a clean, fantastic performance. Al had congratulated her on her success to the chagrin and reluctant approval of the rest of the Ravenclaw team.

"I can't believe they won," Ash sighed, sitting on Hugo's lap in the common room. Hugo welcomed the Ravenclaw chaser, wrapping his arms around her slender waist. He gently tucked her hair behind her ear, giving him a better view of the rest of the common room.

There were still some students cramming for the OWLs next week, half of them with ink stains on their hands and the bridges of their noses. Other students were getting a head start on finals, diving into their notes for the year. None of the seventh years were around, all of them locked up in the library to study for the NEWTs.

"I doubt Gryffindor will win next year," Al sighed, pushing his glasses up his nose and opening a book. "They're losing Fred and Jim."

"But Slytherin is losing all their chasers," Ash said, her arm winding around Hugo's shoulders.

"They have their three back-ups, all of them fourth-years."

"Damn it."

"Now, now, Ash, there's no need for profanity," Hugo said, a grin on his face. The only thing you could really get the girl riled up about was quidditch. Her bad marks were another, but you really didn't want to broach that.

"Sure there is. I have two years left at Hogwarts, and I'm not going to get to see Ravenclaw come out on top. Our team was stronger last year with you on keeper, Hugo."

"No, I'm not going to be a keeper next year."

"Why not?" Ash put an innocent hand on his chest.

"Because I don't want to."

"But you are the best we have."

"Look, I know you want to win, but I can't do it. I have too much going on, being a prefect and all."

"You know you aren't a good prefect. I've seen you on your rounds. All you do is read a book," Al murmured.

"Like you are now?"

Al flipped a page in his book.

"Hugo, please," Ash said. "You can teach Todd a few things."

"It was fun while it lasted, but I'm done with quidditch."

"You were professional quality."

"No I wasn't."

"You gave my mother a run for her money," Al said absently, turning another page.

"Your mother hasn't played quidditch in ages."

"All I'm saying is that we have the best offense we've had in years. Those two second-years we snagged are excellent chasers, our beaters are coming around, and Al is the best seeker to hit Hogwarts since his father. Todd isn't a good keeper. He gets nervous and lets a lot of stuff in. He's also young – only a second year. If we had you in there, teaching him…"

"No, Ash!" He took his hands off her waist. He felt the heat pulsing through his face and ears. "I am not going to play keeper for some silly quidditch cup that doesn't even matter!"

"Hugo…"

"No. Get off of me, please." Hugo clenched his jaw, fighting back the urge to push the girl off of him. He felt his fists trembling at his side. Ash slid off him gracefully and went up to the girl's dormitory.

"You really do need to control that temper of yours," Al said casually.

"Shove it, Al."

"You say you aren't like your father, but sometimes I wonder if the sorting hat put you in the right place," Al said.

"You don't know what you're talking about. I am nothing like my father."

Al looked up from his book, one eyebrow raised, and then turned the page. Sometimes, his cousin infuriated him. But he knew Al was right. Despite everything, despite him harping on the fact that he was a Ravenclaw and not a Gryffindor, that he was better than his father, that he was different from his father, he still had the Weasley temper and the fierce loyalty associated with Gryffindor.

He hated that about himself.

3

Hugo leaned back on the soft grass of the Hogwarts grounds. He closed his eyes and let the sun bathe him in its warm light. The OWLs had extricated his intelligence, leaving only his body, which yearned for physical comfort. And he was very comfortable.

If he were to be painfully honest, he would have said that the OWLs were a joke. Sure, they were long. Sure, they covered a lot of material. Sure, they were exhausting. But it also left a lot out. Beauxbatons and Durmstrang weren't even mentioned in the history part. Most of the stuff it did go over, he had learned before he even got to Hogwarts, like that Dumbledore defeated Grindewald. Who didn't know that?

However, if anyone was going to ask him, he was going to say he found them as difficult as Rose did. And she found them extremely difficult, even going to so far as to cry for days before her results came, fearing the worst. Now, he wondered if any of that was for show.

Al sat down next to him, his glasses conspicuously missing.

"Where're your glasses?"

"In the dormitory."

"Why?"

"Because I don't want to be tempted to read anything for at least an hour."

Hugo grinned to himself. Al not reading was like Rose wearing a fancy dress. Hugo had only seen both happen once, and that was at Aunt Gabrielle's wedding.

"So how'd you think of them?" Al asked.

"Easy."

"Really?"

"Yep."

"You think you got all outstandings?"

"Well…I dazed off for a minute or two in the transfiguration part, and don't get me started on divination, so I was probably docked there…but other than those I thought it went well. What about you?"

"DADA, fine. Transfiguration, eh. Charms, fine. Potions, fine. Herbology, fine. Divination, no way I passed. Astronomy, fine. Alchemy, fine. Ancient runes, fine. History of magic, eh."

They sat in silence for awhile, the intellectuals of the Weasley clan enjoying the silence the afternoon offered them. Everyone else was taking finals. The seventh years were still being examined. It was the perk of being a fifth year. Three hours on the Friday afternoon where the grounds are owned by you.

"So I hear you broke things off with Ash," Al said, turning to face his cousin.

"Yeah, she was…we aren't right for each other."

Al snorted and stared at the sky, watching the clouds pass by with a blank stare. Hugo gazed down the hill to the pond. It was still, its surface reflecting the trees looming overhead.

"Are you visiting Charlie this summer?" Al asked.

"Yep."

"When?"

"Third week in July. My mum wants me to go to the Ministry's youth council, too, in order to get some experience."

"But you don't want to."

"That's an understatement."

"I'm sure if you told them, they'd understand."

"No, they wouldn't."

"Aren't they all 'whatever you want to do, that's fine'?"

"That's bunk. You know it, too. The only one they're like that with is Rose because she's an idiot." Hugo could feel his ears begin to burn with anger. He needed to learn to control his emotion.

"Is there a middle ground?" Al asked.

"No."

"Oh."

They spent the rest of the day sitting in the sun, enjoying the mutual silence.


	2. Chapter 2

The last day of Hogwarts was never a pleasant one for Hugo. He wasn't so much leaving any friends behind as leaving a way of life, a life of freedom. Back home, he couldn't so much as sneeze without his mother checking on him. He couldn't fly on a broom without supervision. He couldn't go anywhere where there wasn't family. It seemed at times as if everyone was his family. Last summer, he tried to have a date with Ash and his cousin, Dominique, ended up showing up at the café with his girlfriend. It was not a pleasant experience, especially when the pair of them started clinging to each other like a barnacle to a boat. It still made him queasy to think about it.

He didn't like the rituals of coming home, either. There was always a comment made about how much he had grown. Usually, he hadn't even noticed he had grown until he stood next to his mother or father and realized how much they were shrinking. It was an odd feeling, really. He would then proceed to the annual Weasley reunion at the Burrow, where he would receive many appraisals of his cuteness, handsomeness, and obvious value to Gryffindor. He would then have to correct his distant relatives, saying that despite his orange hair and freckles, he was a Ravenclaw, not a Gryffindor. They would look taken aback despite having this conversation before, and leave Hugo feeling…awkward. After that, they would all get together and play quidditch, where he would be asked to play keeper, and many comments would be about how "Little Ronny" looks so much like his father astride a broom.

He resented every second of it.

"Come on, Hugo, we'll be late for the feast," Al said, hauling his trunk to the end of the bed.

That was the one thing he didn't mind about leaving Hogwarts. Although, this year would be morose because the Slytherin won. Again. He could already hear Jim moaning to the other Weasleys in the Gryffindor common room about it.

"I hate it when Slytherin wins," Al muttered. "We never have a peaceful car ride home after that. Jim is way too pompous for his own good."

"Yeah," Hugo sighed, "Rose'll probably mope around her room for a week or two, and I'll be left with all the chores."

Al laughed.

"I'm sure you'll manage," Al said, clapping his cousin on the back. Grinning, the pair of them went down the feast, meeting Tyler and David on the way, all of them eager to see what the Great Hall looked like and, more importantly, what kind of food they would get to eat.

3

"I can't wait to go the world cup this year!" Tyler exclaimed in the train, his head held high, a huge grin on his face. Every year, he went and every year he rubbed it in.

"Yeah?" Hugo asked, leaning back as nonchalantly as he could. "I get to go to Romania and work with dragons."

"Oh, come on, Hugo," David said scathingly, "we all know better than you that your interests aren't with dragons. As much as you try and hide it, you know you really want to get into politics."

"That's a position for Slytherins," Hugo replied.

Al snorted into his book.

"Tell me, Albus, what's a better position for Slytherins?" Hugo asked testily.

"Auror," Al answered without missing a beat.

"I disagree," David said.

"You usually do," Al said, closing his book. "What's a better way to get into the minds of dark wizards than have their protégé hunting them? They'll know the tricks and the trade."

"But we can't guarantee their loyalty."

"Nowadays the majority of Auror inductees are sworn in, and the penalty for breaking it is immediate removal and a stint in Azkaban," Al continued.

"Besides, we can't have a bunch of Slytherin running the espionage department of our government."

"Really? Would you rather have a calculating Slytherin who actually looks at all the possibilities or a Gryffindor who runs headlong without a second thought?"

"I hate you, Al," David finished, crossing his arms irately. Al gave a sideways smirk and opened his book. Al never lost arguments when it pertained to government.

"So, Al," Tyler said, "What are you doing for a career again?"

Al smirked again and said, "Dunno."

"What do you mean?"

"Ministry. Where, I have no idea. Whoever will hire me at this point." He turned a page.

"That's so like you, Al," Tyler moaned. "You have no direction."

"Oh, I have direction. Just not the usual kind."

"That doesn't make any sense. I hate it when you get like this."

"Then stop asking me questions."

"You guys doing anything this year?" Hugo asked.

"Nothing other than the cup. Babysitting my sister, I'd imagine. Sucks that I can't use magic on her, though. She can be such a pain," Tyler said, cracking his knuckles.

"I'm going to Italy in July and France in August," David said. "The products of your father being an ambassador. I love it. I can't wait to go to Paris again. Mum said we could spend a week in the Louvre. I'm so excited."

"So easily excited. Sometimes I wonder why I'm even friends with you," Hugo muttered.

"I'll tell you why," David said, "it's because we're Ravenclaws. And Ravenclaws are Ravenclaws and there isn't anything you can do about it."

"You're not making any sense!" Tyler said.

"I've been taking lessons from Al."

"We need to change," Al said, putting his book down. "We're almost at King's Cross."


	3. Chapter 3

One time of year where Hugo was absolutely driven up the wall was the car ride back to the Burrow. For some odd reason, all the Weasleys thought it a good idea to have the annual reunion on the day they got back. If they had asked him, he would have said it was the worst. And what makes it even worse is that they all drive back together. In the same car.

The previous year hadn't been too much of an issue. Fred, Lucy, James, Rose, Molly, and Louis all crammed into the back seat of his mum's station wagon, which had been charmed to fit them all. In the trunk with reverse facing seats, with all the luggage on them, sat Al and Hugo. Lucy and Lily all sat in the front between Hugo's parents. No one had fought, although Hugo thought his legs would fall off due the shear mass of trunks on top of him.

This year, he knew he was too tall to get in the back. The first indication was that his jeans were too short. How that happened was beyond him, but he had to cajole Al into transfiguring them longer. The next indication he got that he was too tall was that when he stood next to Fred – who is by no means a short fellow -- he was taller than him. Al, too, had sprouted. Although his own jeans had fit him, he was taller than James by a good deal, much to James' clear displeasure. It was obvious to Hugo that Lily and Louis – the two smallest of them – would have to sit in the back.

"Hugo and Al, in the back," his dad shouted. "Fred, Louis, Jim, Rose, and Roxanne in the middle. Lily, Molly, and Lucy in the front. Hurry up, let's go. Grandma's cooking up a storm, or so I hear."

"Dad!" Hugo said. "I can't get in the back; I'll be crushed."

"Hugo," his dad said. "You want me to make Rose sit in the back?"

"Why don't Lily and Louis sit in the back? They're the shortest."

"I can't sit in the back! What happens if we go around a turn and all the trunks slide on top of me?" Lily said, crossing her arms definitely. She had changed into jeans, but still wore her Slytherin white shirt and tie. Grandma Weasley would not like the way her jeans were fitting her.

"You're stronger than the two of them, Hugo," his dad said. "I'm sure you'll manage. You're a Ravenclaw, you'll figure it out. Besides, everyone else is already in." Hugo looked over at Al, who was trying to fit the trunks in the back in a way so that he could actually sit down.

"Are you just going to take this, Al?" Hugo asked, helping him to move around the trunks.

"Do I have another choice? It's just an hour or so. We'll manage," Al said. Hugo hated how stoic he always was. Then again, growing up with James, he probably had to be.

"Merlin, Lily!" James shouted as they sped along the highway. "Why are you wearing that?"

"What?" Lily replied.

Hugo craned his neck, wrapped his arm around the back of the seat, nearly choking poor Fred, to see what Lily would do. She spun around fast, her black curly hair flipping around.

"Why are you wearing that?" he spat again. Hugo could sense his resentment at losing the house cup and the quidditch cup.

"Stop it, James," Al said casually, turning a page in his book.

"What? Stop it? Am I being unreasonable? Does the almighty Al have any wisdom to bestow us with?"

"Look, I don't like it that Slytherin won the quidditch cup any more than you do, but you have no reason to take it out on Lily, who is the cleanest player on their team. She played a fair game. Even the Hufflepuffs couldn't find fault with it, and that's saying something." Al turned a page in his book.

"If you're going to talk to me, look at me, not at your bloody book!" James shouted, tearing the book out of Al's hands.

Al sighed and twisted his neck to look at his brother's fiery red hair, his cheeks matching. He repeated what he had just said, but looking at James.

"I'm not an idiot!"

"James, chill out," Fred muttered.

Al reached into his knapsack and pulled out another book and started reading. Hugo faced the back of the car, the many trunks piled on his legs, and struggled to wiggle his toes.

3

Neither Hugo nor Al could walk for almost thirty minutes after they managed to extrapolate themselves from the confines of Hugo's mum's car. While the others were out establishing teams for quidditch, the pair of them sprawled on the grass in front of Uncle Harry's and Aunt Ginny's.

"Despite the particular agony I'm in this year," Al said as they stared at the clouds. "I'm glad to be home."

"Congratulations," Hugo muttered. "I get to stare at Rose's sorry face and hear my mother complain about how I'm not fulfilling my potential until I go stay with Charlie."

"Are you working a shop at all?"

"I haven't decided yet. I'll probably just fill in for you when you're too lazy to show up."

"That never happens. I just get too absorbed in a book. There's a difference."

"Only a slight difference."

"I'll give you that."

"I suppose we should go see if Charlie and Teddy're here, right?"

"Mmm…"

Al hoisted himself off the ground with his usual ease and grace. Hugo followed his lead with a little less grace but equal ease. They entered the burrow and were not surprised to see Teddy sitting at the Flora – the little girl's hair purple today. His fiancée, Gwen, was a little ways away, talking with Vicky.

"Damn, Hugo," Teddy said, standing up. "You're taller than I am! Same for you, Al. What do they feed you in Ravenclaw? I need to get some."

He gave the two of them a gruff hug. Teddy was average height for a man, his hair – as always – blue. Of everyone who was associated with the Weasleys, Al and Teddy had never made Hugo feel awkward about being a Ravenclaw.

"Just the usual," Al said. "Are you going to play quidditch with us today?"

"I'll play only if I can be on Hugo's team and only if he plays keeper," Teddy said, raising an eyebrow at Hugo.

"Why don't you just get my father to play?" Hugo said gloomily.

Teddy laughed.

"You're father is a terrible keeper. Yeah, he played in school, but from what I hear, he was one of the worst. Besides, we need someone with experience to play against Lily. From what I hear, she's exceptional."

"Why not Vicky?"

"Look, Hugo, you know the rules of the game. You tell me if Vicky will want to play."

Hugo glanced at the woman. She certainly didn't seem like she came prepared. Her outfit was all wrong, too form fitting for keeper.

"Fine, I'll play."

"Awesome. Hey, Flora, I'm going to go play quidditch, you want to come and watch?"

"Can I play?" Her eyes lit up. She was intelligent for a four year old.

"No, you can't."

"Why not?" She crossed her arms and stared at him.

"Because you don't know how to ride a broom." Teddy poked her nose. The little girl clenched her jaw, her hair flaring red. Hugo grinned. Her veela temper was flaring again.

"Hey, Flora, why don't you come with me and we'll go pick some apples?" Vicky asked, offering her hand to her young daughter.

"Really?" Flora's eyes lit up and hopped off the chair. Vicky nodded and the pair of them left for the orchard. The boys left and got their brooms.


	4. Chapter 4

They had to wait for Lily. James was getting impatient, hitting the bludger back and forth between him, Fred, Teddy, and Uncle George. Aunt Ginny, Lucy, Roxann, Louis, Molly, Rose, and Hugo passed around the quaffle. Uncle Harry and Al were in a deep conversation about the long term effects of the current policies of the ministry.

When Lily finally emerged from the Burrow, in a loose pair of shorts and tee-shirt, she was visibly incensed in the way only Weasleys can be. Aunt Ginny watched her with curiosity. She joined their circle, but kept her arms crossed, preventing herself from becoming involved.

"What's wrong?" Aunt Ginny said.

"Nothing," Lily muttered, rolling her eyes. Louis threw the quaffle at her, thinking it would be funny. She kicked it back at him, her arms not moving at all, the speed increased a tenfold. Hugo bit back laughter as the youngest cousin fell on his bottom.

"Aunt Ginny," Roxanne said casually, "How much does Al look like Uncle Harry when he was at Hogwarts."

Ginny turned her head in the direction of her son and husband, the two of them next to each other heightening their similarities.

"Very much the same in appearance," Aunt Ginny said. "Although Al is a little taller."

"Do they act the same?"

Aunt Ginny stared at the pair again, lost in thought. She made a slight grin and shook her head.

"Not at all. Al…Al is a bit more…studious…than Harry was."

Hugo grinned and glanced at his cousin. Al was motioning erratically in the air, using the same movements he knew James would. The Potter siblings would never admit much about their similarities, but something they could not deny was their similar facial expressions and body language when they talked. On the rare occasion you saw the three of them engaged in a civilized conversation – or even in an argument – that similarity was clear.

"Are you ready, Harry?" Teddy shouted, throwing a beater's bat at him. Harry nimbly avoided being pegged and held up his hand.

"Just a minute!"

He finished his conversation with his son and the two teams sprung into the air.

3

Rose, James, Fred, and Molly sat at one end of the table, laughing about something or other. Hugo sat between Teddy and Al, Louis sitting across from them. Lily sat next to Flora and Lucy, the pair of them doting over the little girl. Flora hated it, much to Rose's amusement.

"Alright, Weasleys!" Bill shouted, standing up.

Hugo looked over at his uncle, cocking an eyebrow. As the oldest brother, it had been Bill's pleasure for quite some time to give the pre-dinner honors. When there were graduates, this was when he presented them with the Weasley graduation gift.

"This year we have two successful graduates from Hogwarts. Fred and James, if you will."

He motioned for the two of them to walk towards his end of the table. They did as they asked, each of them with large grins on their faces.

"This one's for you, Jim." Uncle Bill gave James a small box. "And for you, Fred." Fred got an identical box. Both of them were wrapped in red paper with a gold bow. Hugo already knew what they both got. They knew, too, it seemed. It was the same thing they had given Dom and Vicky and Ted.

"Thank you," Fred said, dangling a gold pocket watch from its chain.

"I suppose I don't have an excuse for being late anymore, eh?" James asked, flipping open the cover.

"Nope," Bill said, clapping his nephew on the back. "Both of you will need to be on time from here on out."

"Everyone needs a good pocket watch," Uncle Percy said, nodding at the boys, his face straight. Hugo wondered if he realized he had said the same thing every year. Fred and Jim settled down again, gazing fondly at their new devices.

"And our very own, Albus!" Bill continued, motioning to Al. Hugo saw him rub his left thigh. "I must say, Al, it's very good to see you back at Hogwarts after your accident."

"Indeed; it's good to have been back, too," Al said, a small grin on his face.

"Well, Al, we can't have that achievement go unmarked," Bill said, his own face lighting with a grin. Hugo could feel Teddy readjust next to him. This had not been planned. "Come on, I have to give you something."

Al sighed and stood up. Hugo watched him. His limp was almost completely gone. If you hadn't known he had had his leg amputated, you wouldn't have guessed. He exchanged a few low words with Uncle Bill, took the small blue package his uncle had, and returned to the seat. Once seated, he took off the paper and looked at the small golden ball sitting in the box. It was a snitch with his initials engraved on the side.

"Thanks," he said, smiling at everyone. There was a murmur of "don't worry about it", "it was nothing", "you deserved it", and then Bill sat down.

"Let's eat!" Grandma Weasley said, flicking her wand over the table. Plates of food, so much that Hugo was taken aback, appeared in front of them like it did at Hogwarts. Hugo had no idea where his grandmother kept all this food while they were waiting, but he dug in anyway, taking a healthy piece of chicken.

"I really wish they hadn't done that," Al muttered, cutting up a potato. Hugo glanced at him. There was no doubt he liked the snitch; he was his father's son, after all. But all throughout the year, anytime anyone had said anything about his leg, Al had become withdrawn. Al sat back, his potato uneaten, and stared at the sunset.

"Al, you going to eat that?" Ted asked, motioning to his piece of pork. Al glanced at his plate and then stabbed it with his knife.

"You want it?"

Teddy nodded and held his plate out. Al slid it on.

"You really should try this," Hugo said, motioning to the pasta salad.

"I'm not hungry."

"Al, I know you aren't happy, but you shouldn't let that get in the way of enjoying good food."

"I don't want to talk."

If he had a book, Hugo knew Al would be reading it right now. As soon as the bonfire was lit, Al went to his room, stating lamely that he was tired. No one questioned him further.


	5. Chapter 5

"Hugo, I need you to come with me to the joke shop," Hugo's dad said, throwing his son a warning glance

"Hugo, I need you to come with me to the joke shop," Hugo's dad said, throwing his son a warning glance.

"Am I getting paid?" Hugo asked, slathering jam on his toast. He already knew the answer.

"You're going to have to talk with Vicky," his dad said.

"You aren't getting paid!" His mum said from the living room. "Vicky needs that money more than you do."

"So I have to scrub pots so she can buy a new robe?"

"Hugo, you know Vicky doesn't scrounge her money," his mum said. He hated the way his mother said his name, as if he was still two or just incompetent. Hugo was neither.

"Go upstairs, get changed, and come back down here," his dad said, taking his toast from him.

"Dad, that's mine!"

"Just go get dressed, Hugo, we're already running late."

"What am I going to have for breakfast?"

"A puking pastel, now go. You wasted enough time this morning."

"I didn't know I was filling in!"

"I told you last night," his mum said.

Rolling his eyes, he thudded upstairs. He couldn't believe it. His first Saturday of summer vacation and he had to work. Al wanted to go on a flying trip across the country today. It would have to wait. He pulled his Weasley's Wizard Wheezes robe out of his closet, the bright florescent blue his least favorite article of clothing he owned. They were short, too. And they had his first name on the sleeve.

"Dad!" he ran down the stairs, his ankles showing to the world. "My uniform's too short!"

"I was afraid of that," his mum said, intercepting him on the stairs. "Come on, I'll give you one of your father's." Hugo followed her into his parent's room, their bed already made. She went into the closet and pulled out a green robe.

"It's one of the older ones, but it should be fine."

Hugo put it on. It felt fine, better than the other one anyway, and went into the kitchen. His father had put on a pair of black robes, his name tagged as a shop owner.

"Ah, you're in one of mine!" his father exclaimed, putting his hands on Hugo's shoulders. "We'll get you a new set at the end of the day, ok?"

Hugo nodded and took some floo powder.

"Hogsmeade or Diagon Ally?"

"Hogsmeade." Hugo stepped into the fire.

3

"Ronald," Fred said scathingly, "where did you put the bloody eyes of newt?"

"How am I supposed to know?" Hugo asked, up to his elbows in failed potion.

"You were the last one to touch them."

"I'm scrubbing cauldrons." Hugo wiped his hands on his robes and looked at his cousin. "Look, Jim has him where he is." Fred glanced over to Potter. Sure enough, James had the eyes of newt, sprinkling some in his cauldron. A grotesque stench permeated from James' cauldron.

"What did you do, Jim?" Fred asked.

"Here." James flung a notebook at him. Fred caught it and looked at the ingredients, obediently recorded as Uncle George liked so well. Fred started laughing.

"This is great! We need to send this to him for consideration." Fred began rewriting everything on a clean sheet of parchment, his quill dancing excitedly.

Hugo bent to the cauldron he was in front of and set his weight behind it. He still didn't see why he had to do this. Wouldn't it just be easier and more productive for James or Fred to set their wands to it? Then he could help them in research and development.

"That's disgusting," Hugo said, sniffing the air.

"Shut up, Hugo," James said.

"What are you talking about?"

"Just stop talking. You're interfering in our work."

"James, lay off," Fred said, rolling up the parchment. "He's just filling in."

"If you guys would just do a spell on the cauldrons, I could help."

"No," both of them said.

"We had to do it, you have to do it," Fred said.

"It builds character," James said in an irking mockery of Uncle Harry. Fred laughed, attaching the roll to the foot of the owl.

"What in the world?" The door at the top of the stairs opened, Hugo's mum putting a handkerchief to her nose. "What did you do?"

"We've reinvented the dung-bombs," James said proudly.

"It's worse than before," Fred grinned, his white teeth contrasting with his dark skin.

"Sometimes you worry me," she said, waving her wand. The stench lifted from the room. "Hugo, you're still scrubbing pots?"

"They won't do it for me."

"Eh, it builds character," his mother said. Hugo gritted his teeth and put his back into the latest mess.

"Oh, Hugo, Al wants to see you tonight," James said, using a small syringe to extract small amounts of his potion and put it in small capsules.

"Do you think that'll be enough?" Fred asked, poking the empty capsules.

"Tell Al I might not be able to make it," Hugo said, ignoring the strain building in his shoulder. He hated being out of practice. Or maybe he loved it. He wasn't sure.

"Why not? You're going to break his fragile heart," James mocked.

"Your heart is probably more fragile than his."

"You'd think you were brothers the way you went at it," Fred said, trying not to laugh.

"We might as well be, Hugo spends enough time at the Burrow. You'd think he and Al were lovers the way they spend time together," James said.

Hugo didn't say anything. He hated James. In fact, he hated most of the Gryffindors in his family. Half of them showed the negative aspects of Gryffindor and the other half didn't show any at all. He supposed they would at some point, but until then, he was stuck with a family of elitist wizards. Except for Teddy and Vicky. But they didn't count anymore. Gwen was pretty cool, too – from his own Ravenclaw – but no one else needed to know that.

"Oh, come on, Hugo," James said. "You know I was just kidding."

"Do you think I care anymore?" Hugo said. "I've heard enough from you to know when you're kidding or not. I just don't care."

"Whatever, Hugo." He could hear James cuss to Fred under his breath. Fred chuckled and kept working.

3

"Merlin, Hugo, you smell like…like…like dungbombs," Lily muttered, tossing him a bottle of perfume.

"Thanks, Lil," Hugo said, spraying some on himself despite the knowledge it'll make him smell fruity. Surprisingly, it wasn't fruity. "What is this?"

"Er…well…It was a present from my boyfriend," Lily said, taking it back.

"I didn't know you were seeing someone."

"Oh, hey, Al, Hugo's here," Lily said, acknowledging her brother coming down the stairs.

"Hugo," Al said, sitting down in the living room. Hugo followed suit, sitting down next to him. Lily sat with them, too, her legs crossed underneath her.

"Go put on some longer shorts, Lil," Al said casually, turning a page.

"I don't have any longer shorts," Lily replied tartly. Al looked up from his book for a second, shook his head, and went back to reading.

"Where's your mum?" Hugo asked. Usually Aunt Ginny was puttering around, doing something.

"Out doing a piece," Lily replied, picking a quaffle up off the floor and tossing it up and down. "You guys want to play quidditch?"

"No," the pair of them said.

"I'm going to practice, then. Can I use your broom, Al?"

Hugo waited for the response. Al's broom was undeniably the fastest of the brooms the Potters owned. James's was firmly established as the sturdiest, used by all three to learn how to fly, and Lily's was a similar make but smaller.

"It'll overpower you," Al replied, turning another page.

"Al, I'm not a kid."

"No, but neither are you an adult. You're still too small. I'm sorry."

"Come on! You know I can handle myself on dad's Firebolt, how is your Nimbus any different?"

Al put his book down and leaned forward in his seat. He was an easy going fellow most of the time, but Hugo knew he didn't like anyone, not even Uncle Harry, to touch his broom.

"You have your own broom."

"How can I get any better on that thing?"

"If anything, you should be using the old Cloud Nine."

"That thing's a snail!"

"Your reaction time will need to improve, so when you're on your Comet, you'll feel like you were on my Nimbus. And if you really want speed, why don't you use the Firebolt?"

"That Firebolt hates me!"

"And you think my Nimbus will be any different?"

Lily walked out, her hair whipping around behind her. Hugo tried not to laugh at the exaggerated swing of her hips.

"Do you know who she's snogging?" Hugo asked.

"Out of curiosity or concern?" Al asked, settling back on the couch.

"Curiosity."

"Nope."

"You want to play chess?"

"Eh, why not?"


	6. Chapter 6

The first few weeks of summer, Hugo spent copious amounts of time at the Burrow. Occasionally, they went back to Hugo's house, but largely they just stayed at Al's. Every morning, Hugo would arrive around ten, wait for Al to emerge from his room, watch as Al made some comment about Lily's shorts being too short, they'd play a game or two of chess, maybe some gobstones if Al didn't want to deal with his queen who was being oddly temperamental, and then lay down on the grass. Al always wore pants. He refused to wear shorts, even at Hugo's cajoling.

"Hugo, you don't have to wear pants for me," Al said, sanding a piece of wood.

"I'm not doing it for you. I feel awkward if I'm in shorts and you're in pants. It's like…I don't know, but I don't like it." Hugo crossed his arms. "Hey, is Teddy coming home at all?"

"He's supposed to be here at noon."

Hugo glanced at the clock. It was one.

"Typical of him to be late, though," Hugo muttered.

"Merlin, just shut up! I don't care if I'm late! I know I'm late!"

"I'm just telling you Teddy."

"Sounds like Teddy's here," Hugo muttered.

Al stood up and walked into the other room, greeting his surrogate brother. Hugo lingered back for a moment, watching the transaction. Teddy glared at his pocket watch, the thing still yelling at him. He snapped it shut when he saw Al, though.

"Why don't you just stop growing?" Teddy said, wrapping his arms around the taller boy.

"It's not my fault."

"Not your father's either. I don't know where you got these genes from. Must be the Weasley in you. Everything else is Potter. Ah, Hugo, the most Weasley man I know." Teddy hugged him, too.

"Teddy, are you going to help me, or just leave me out to dry?" Gwen said from outside.

"Oh, right," Teddy said, going to help. He came in with Flora on his shoulders and bag in his hand. Flora laughed at Al and Hugo, nearly eye level with the girl, and pulled her father's hair. "Flora, don't do that."

"Come here," Gwen said, taking the girl.

"Teddy!" Lily shouted, throwing herself at him.

"I don't have any arms!" Teddy exclaimed, the Slytherin hanging off of him. "Get off of me, Slytherin, and give me a moment to gain my composure."

Lily slid off and stood back for a moment. Hugo marveled at their interaction; Teddy was probably the only person in the world who could get away with calling her by her house. He had heard when James called her that – although he did in a derogatory way – and she flipped out on him. Hugo didn't even bother trying to figure it out.

"Gwen, you're staying the spare room above Al, Ted gets the attic, and Flora's sleeping with me, unless she wants to sleep with anyone else, really."

"No! I want to sleep with Lil!" Flora said. Gwen put her on the ground and she immediately hugged Lily. Lily hugged her back and brought her upstairs.

"What did you say Vicky was doing this weekend?" Gwen asked, a worried look on her face.

"She's in France all month. I told you that almost three months ago when I found out," Teddy said, handing her bags to her.

"Right."

"So, boys, how have you been?"

"Fine," Al said, leaning on the counter. Hugo tried not to smile. He always tried to act cool when around Teddy.

"Same old same old," Hugo said.

"Come help me set up," Teddy said. "I need to ask you something."

The three of them headed to the attic, where the bright orange paint was still splattered on the walls. None of them knew why Uncle Ron had decidedly gone with the cannons. They were still the worst team in the league, even after years of "rebuilding", as they called it. Teddy threw his bags on the bed and faced them.

"I want you to be groomsmen for our wedding," Teddy said, an excited glint in his eyes. "I'm asking Jim, too, but he doesn't seem to be around, and I wanted to get this out of the way. Al, you've been like a brother to me, and you know it. Not the little annoying brother – that's Jim – but the cool, aloof little brother. And Hugo, you're the aloof little brother's best friend, and I've seen you more often than I've seen Jim when I lived here, and Jim lived here, so I suppose I also think of you like a brother. What do you guys say?"

"When is it?" Hugo asked, furrowing his brow. He felt like something wasn't right.

"Two weeks."

"That's kind of short notice," Al muttered, crossing his arms.

Teddy's hair turned an embarrassing shade of pink.

"Well…Originally it was supposed to be Vicky and her brothers, because we're still really close even though we aren't together, and they declined on the premise that it wasn't right to have your ex-girlfriend as your best man."

"You tried to get her to be your best man? You better be glad she declined!" Al laughed. "I can't imagine Gwen would have appreciated that."

"Gwen understood. I hope. It was Vicky's decision and I need to respect it."

"So who's your best man now?"

"Nick Picket."

"Nearly Headless Nick, the Lesser?" Hugo asked, delighted. Everyone heard his story of nearly being beheaded by Vicky when he crossed her.

"Um…yeah…but promise me you won't call him that to his face? It's been years and both of them are pretty much over that incident."

"You know," Al said. "Being a Ravenclaw, I still don't have the details on that…event…do you care to fill them in for me?"

"Wasn't it something about her cheating on you?" Hugo pestered.

"No!" Teddy said. "Vicky was a Gryffindor. Gryffindor. Loyal, you know? Nothing like that."

"Then what was it?" Al asked.

"Please, enlighten our minds," Hugo said.

"Hugo wasn't even at Hogwarts and he knows Nearly Headless Nick."

"Al, fill him in. You know."

"I was in Ravenclaw and a silly first year."

"True…true," Teddy muttered. "Fine. But I'll just say this; do not enter your dormitory when you hear funny noises. Nick thought something was wrong. The only thing that was wrong was that Vicky wasn't…satiated."

Hugo bit back laughter at his word choice. Al didn't even give him that.

"Satiated? Satiated? You sound like she was thirsty."

"Oh, she was Al, she was. But I never told you this."

"It wasn't anything I haven't figured out already," Al said, folding his hands docilely behind his head. "Some seventh year told me."

"Classy, Al, just classy. You guys still haven't answered me."

"I think that's the week I'm in Romania," Hugo said. Was that the week? Or was it the week after? No, it definitely was the week. "I can't believe you're getting married on the one week I'm not available."

"I'll have to check my calendar," Al said, clearly jesting, "But I think I can move some things around."

"Excellent. I'll have my people call your people," Teddy finished. Hugo smiled. They used to do that all the time. "Really, though, I'm late for work, and if I check my clock, Father Time is going to yell at me again."

"Well, off you go, then," Al said dramatically.

"Sometimes I wonder about you," Teddy said and disapparated.

"Now what?" Hugo asked.

"Chess?"


	7. Chapter 7

"This is your last chance, you know," Hugo's mums said, smoothing the stack of neatly folded robes he had set out for himself.

"I don't want to back out, mum," Hugo replied. For past hour, she had been hounding him to change his mind and not go to Romania.

"I just have a bad feeling about it."

Hugo turned to face his mother, briefly surprised at how short she now seemed. He put his hands on her shoulders and said, "I'll be fine. I'm a Weasley. Dragons can't take me down."

"Ron…"

"Really, I'll be fine," Hugo said.

"I really wouldn't feel so bad if I knew you were a Gryffindor…"

"What are you saying?" Hugo snapped. His mother always had to do this. She always had to bring in house politics.

"Well if the sorting hat thought you were brave and chivalrous, I would have thought that you would be able to hold your own better."

"So it makes me a different person based on what house I'm in?"

"You know, I used to think that, but I see how much like your father you are, and it troubles me that you're in Ravenclaw. You should be in Gryffindor."

"I'm glad I'm not in Gryffindor. Why would I want to be in Gryffindor? So I could be one of many rash young Weasleys out to save the world? The world doesn't even need saving. Besides, there have been far more influential Ravenclaws than Gryffindors."

"There's a reason why you aren't a Gryffindor! Don't you understand that? You go around, acting like you can do everything, but you can't. There's going to be something that will reveal why you are in Ravenclaw, why you weren't put in Gryffindor, why you weren't…"

"Good enough? That's what you're going to say, isn't it? That I'm not good enough to be in precious Gryffindor? Did you ever stop to think that maybe you weren't good enough for Ravenclaw? Not smart enough? Not pretty enough? Not – "

"Stop it, Ronald." His mother's voice was low, seething with anger.

Her words did nothing to sooth his own anger. There was no reason for her to do this, no reason for her to bring in houses. And she always did it, too. Anytime he wanted to do something. Quidditch? You're a Ravenclaw, you should be studying. Career? You're a Ravenclaw, you need to go into the ministry. Job? You're a Ravenclaw, you need work a bloody bookstore. He was sick of it. It didn't matter what house he was in. He was a bloody Weasley, and that was that. So he had a bit more looks and bit more brains than the average Weasley, enough to bump him up to Ravenclaw. The way he saw it, it made him better, not worse. So he might not have the same headstrong attitude as his cousins. Was that really a bad thing? No, of course not. But did his parents see it that way? No, of course not. He was Ronald Hugo Weasley, the Ravenclaw, the disappointment. He could have been so much better as a Gryffindor. He had so much potential as a young boy, but it all went down the toilet when he became Ravenclaw. Damn it. He was sick of it bloody all.

He threw his things in his bag, ignoring his mother, and went to the ministry.

"Alright, you goin' on a trip, boy?" the travel controls officer said.

"Yes, sir."

"Where to?"

"Romania."

"Purpose?"

"Working with dragons."

"Name?"

"Ronald Weasley."

"Hugo Weasley?"

"Yes."

"Alright, through you go. Don't think about escaping off to Merlin knows where. We will track you down and you will be fined. Got it?"

"Yes."

He threw floo on the fire and ended up in the Romanian Ministry.

Even being there twice before hadn't lessened Hugo's amazement at the simplicity of the Romanian Ministry. The main lobby was simply a large room rimmed by fireplaces of brick with white painted walls, wooden floors, and a white receptionist desk. Behind the desk there was a single elevator.

"Ah, Hugo!"

Hugo looked around and saw Charlie, his hair as long and unruly as ever, standing by the desk.

"I see Ravenclaw's treating you well. Come on, we'll get you back to the apartment and wash you up before dinner. You've got soot everywhere. When was the last time you traveled by floo?"

"I'm underage; is there any other way to travel?"

Charlie laughed and clapped his nephew's back. They walked out onto the crowded streets and went to Charlie's apartment.

3

"So what do you think of this piece of equipment?" Charlie asked, patting the hood of a Hummer. "We just got them to replace half the old trucks. The boss decided we needed more protection. I don't think it matters, but it sure looks pretty cool."

"They ride nice," Hugo admitted, his gaze captivated by the dragon herd on the field before him. The absolute majesty of the creatures awed him, their raw power and dangerousness.

"You need to be careful, right now, Hugo," Charlie said. "Half the ladies have laid their eggs and are waiting for them to hatch. They'll be testy. And you still can't use your wand, can you?"

"No," Hugo admitted. He had tried to get the ban lifted on him, so he could be of more use to his uncle, but the ministry wouldn't hear of it, claiming something about him being immature and childish. He wanted to throttle Uncle Percy when he had said that.

"Probably for the better. It'll give you a good fear of 'em." Charlie walked towards the tents that were set up not too far away. Hugo followed, not taking his eyes from the powerful beats.

"Oi, Charlie, you bring with you a friend?" a woman asked, her left cheek slightly scarred.

"Ah, Nikki, this is Hugo, my nephew."

"Nice to meet you, Hugo, you'll be working with Ike in the manure tent. That stuff goes for a pretty penny back in London." She offered her hand. Hugo took it, surprised at how strong her grip was.

"Good fertilizer," Charlie admitted.

"Ike's not much older than you – sixteen – so you won't feel odd without a wand."

Hugo nodded and looked around. He must have been in the main complex. There were chairs set up like at a meeting hall and there was a small desk to the side in front of numerous filing cabinets.

"You look like you burn easily," Nikki said. "You need a hat or something?"

"I'll just give him some of my sunscreen," Charlie said.

"Sunscreen?" Hugo glanced at his uncle. Charlie pulled a rather large blue bottle from his bag and took Hugo's hand. He squirted a handful of white cream in his palm.

"Wipe it on your skin. You won't burn. Muggle invention. Quite useful, really. Specially for us Weasleys."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, Weasley pride blah, blah, now get to work, Charlie, you're already late. And show Hugo where we package the manure."

"Of course. Come on, Hugo."


	8. Chapter 8

Ike seemed like a pleasant enough fellow. He was taller than Hugo, broader through the shoulder than Hugo, and definitely had more muscle than Hugo. He also went to Durmstrang and he had an indefinable air of mystery around him, like he belonged in Slytherin. They didn't talk much, and Hugo was glad for that.

The sun was hot, and it made the massive heap of dragon dung smell all the worse. Before noon, Hugo thought he would swoon because of the stench. After noon, he felt like flies were infesting his hair. Ike seemed not to notice the heat or the bugs, his tan skin immune to the burning sun and his dark hair repelling bugs.

"It's hot," Ike said simply, putting another sealed bucket of manure in the pile. Their job was to transfer a mound of dung into buckets, seal them, and put them in the pile. When they were done, a truck would come by and load them up.

"Yep," Hugo said, wiping the sweat off his brow. It felt like the back of his neck was burning even though he had put on the sunscreen.

"You don't mind if I take off my shirt, do you?" Ike said.

"No."

Ike followed through with his hint, stripping down to his shorts and revealing, as Hugo expected, a nicely toned body. Sighing, Hugo continued to shovel manure.

High noon faded into late afternoon, the sun losing intensity. Hugo's shirt was drenched with sweat. He hadn't realized he would have so much perspiration. It must have been five, but the sun was still high. His shoulders ached and his hands were blistered from the shovel. Hogwarts made him soft.

"Oh, here's the truck," Ike said, shielding the sun with his hand. Sure enough, the green truck with the company logo emblazoned on the side stopped in front of them. Two guys got out of the truck and the four of them loaded buckets of manure into the truckbed.

"I think we need to come back for a second round," the driver said, waving his cap at the flies.

"Mmm," said the passenger, putting the last bucket in there.

"You guys are more efficient than the other crew we have out on the other side, and they have almost twice as many people."

"Mmm."

"Thanks," Ike muttered wiping his brow with the back of his wrist.

"We'll be back in a minute."

The two hopped in their truck and sped off, leaving a trail of dust wherever they went.

"We can save the rest of this for tomorrow," Ike said, motioning to the small heap of dung on the ground. "It'll probably only be about ten buckets. Then we can have the rest of the day off."

"Sounds good," Hugo said, sitting down on the grass.

3

Hugo decided that taking a shower after being covered in dung is the best feeling in the world. And sleeping after that even better, if that was even possible. He slept for nearly the entire day, enjoying his day off with slumber, and only woke up when Charlie turned on the shower.

Pulling himself off of Charlie's couch, he briefly wondered if his uncle had any food in the house. He was starving. Going through Charlie's cabinets did nothing for him. The bloke didn't even have any cold cereal. He resigned himself to the couch, waiting for Charlie to come out of the bathroom.

It took Charlie nearly half an hour to emerge. He didn't even know it took anyone that long to take a shower. His mother never spent more than fifteen in the shower, and Rose took twenty on a long day. He and his father both took quick ones, deeming them a veritable waste of time.

Charlie finally emerged in a white button down shirt and black trousers.

"What're you dressed up for?" Hugo hadn't even bothered to put on a shirt after his shower, instead collapsing on the couch.

"I'm going on a date, and put on a shirt in case she wants to come back here, will you? I don't need her comparing me to you, stick."

Charlie threw him a tee-shirt of the Weird Sisters' Hexed tour. Sometimes it was hard for him to remember his Uncle Charlie was older than his dad. And his Uncle George. And Uncle Percy. If anything, he seemed the youngest. The only one not married, the only one still dating, the only one without a kid. Merlin, even Teddy and Vicky had kid before he did. He was more like a cousin, than anything.

"Do you have any food in this place?" Hugo asked, shoving his head through the neck hole.

"I'll get you a pizza; what kind do you want?"

"Pizza?" Hugo looked at his Uncle, completely confused. "There are different kinds of pizza?"

"Yeah…I said the same thing. I would think Hermione would subject you to it all, though. Eh, you're a Weasley, I'll get you hamburger."

Charlie disapparated. Hamburger on a pizza? Hugo was skeptical, but was too stubborn to say anything. Charlie knew more about this stuff than he did, anyway.

3

"You're with me today, Hugo. We're vaccinating some of the dragons," Charlie said, giving the boy his massive bag. Hugo flung it over his shoulder with little ease; his arms were still aching from days of shoveling dung. "Get in the back of the Hummer. We need to bring a whole crew with us."

Not really sure what that meant, Hugo f lung the bag in the trunk and sat in the back seat. Soon, four others joined him – Nikki, a large man with burly arms, a woman shorter than Nikki, and another man taller than he was. One more man sat next to Charlie in the front, a metal case in his lap.

"Where we going?" Charlie asked, putting the vehicle into drive. They sped off down the dirt roads lacing the country side.

"Northeast valley," the man sitting next to him said.

"Someone put a protection charm on Hugo, will you?" Charlie asked over his shoulder, speeding over a small hill. Hugo felt his stomach churn. His mother would not say Charlie was a good driver.

The large man pulled out a rather thin wand and tapped him on the head. Hugo felt heat surge through him, but then subside like a wave.

"That'll be good enough," the man said, stowing his wand away in his shorts. Charlie went too fast over a bump and Hugo hit his head on the ceiling.

"We're running late, Charlie," Nikki said, her voice edgy. Charlie stepped down on the gas.

"Merlin, Charlie," Hugo muttered.

"Hermione's too much of a stiff to drive properly and she keeps Ron on too tight of a leash for him to do it right."

Hugo gripped the edge of the seat as the vehicle throttled over a low hill.

"If you think Charlie's bad," the man sitting up front said. "You see Nikki on a good day."

"It isn't my fault I can drive better than he can," Nikki replied, crossing her arms.

"Alright, we're there."

Charlie made a screeching halt. Some of the dragons in the field in front of them howled in alarm.

"Charlie!" Nikki shouted, hitting the man. "How many times do I have to tell you to make gentle stops when in the dragon fields?"

"Just give them a minute to calm down, and we'll be fine," Charlie muttered, turning off the car. "Alright, Hugo, I suppose I should introduce everyone. The guy up front is Kevin, the two back there are Pat and Sandy. I hope you're in the mood to be trusting."

"What are you talking about?" Hugo asked.

"You didn't tell him?" Kevin asked, staring at Charlie.

"He's a Weasley; he can handle it."

"What?" Hugo looked around, wanting an answer.

"You're going to be the one who's injecting the vaccine."

"Where?" A hint of fear gripped Hugo.

"The tongue."

Hugo felt his stomach drop. He had to get into the mouth of dragons?

"It's safe," Nikki said. "We take as many precautions as we possibly can. There is only a very slight chance that anything will happen to you."

"Well…why do I have to do it?"

"You're the youngest," Charlie shrugged.

"Yeah…usually it's my job," Sandy said, scratching her head. "I hope I remembered my wand. I'm going to actually need it today."


	9. Chapter 9

"Alright, Hugo," Charlie said, flinging a rope across the beast's neck. "Hook your foot in the nuce, don't lose your balance, and I'll pull you up. Trust in these guys to keep him sedate; they're powerful wizards and witches. Ok?"

"Yep."

Hugo felt a flutter in his chest as he hooked his foot in the rope. He gripped it tightly, precariously balancing. In the back of his mind, he wondered if he would fall; neither of his parents were particularly graceful. Biting back the fear, he gripped the rope tighter. He watched as the massive chest of the dragon passed by him, so close he could touch it. The scent of it, the heady spicy dragon must, filled his nostrils and intoxicated him. The dragon's breath stunk worse than Teddy's. Its tongue looked like it was covered with a thick film.

"Alright, I've got you steady!" Charlie shouted.

Hugo took the syringe, stabbed the tongue, and injected the vaccine. He made sure he kept one hand firmly on the rope. As soon as the injection was made, he saw the vaccine leave a purple stain on the beast's tongue. It shifted uneasily, fighting strongly against the spells binding him. His breathing quickened. Hugo's breathing quickened. He didn't know what was going to happen. No one seemed to panic below, so he tried to keep his fear in check.

"You done?" Charlie asked.

"Yeah!" Hugo replied. Before he was lowered, he caught a glance at the beast's giant orbs of eyes, the dull caramel color not disguising his anger at the Weasley.

"Did you like it?" Charlie said, pulling the rope off the dragon's neck.

"It was…exhilarating," Hugo said, the euphoria welling up briefly within him again.

"Ah! A true Gryffin-Weasley!" Charlie tried to cover up his mistake by screaming Weasley, so loud that the beast snorted little flames. The mistake did not go unnoticed by Hugo.

"Calm down, Charlie," Nikki snapped. "You'd think it was your first time on the job!"

"Nah, I'm just excited for my nephew here. You know, your mother kept telling me how you'd injure yourself if I let you do this."

"Did she?" Hugo wasn't surprised.

"Said something about your shoulder."

"There's nothing wrong with my shoulder." He had injured his shoulder almost two years ago after falling off a broom, but it was all healed, now.

"That's what I figured after you shoveled dung for two days."

"Thanks for that, by the way."

"Ike enjoyed the help."

"So can we do another, now?"

"Absolutely."

3

Hugo laid on the ground, staring at the blue sky, his eyes watering. What just happened? His shoulder hurt suddenly, flared with inordinate pain. It burned.

"Hugo!" Charlie knelt next to him. "Hugo, look at me."

Hugo looked up at him, his vision blurred. He blinked.

"Can you sit up?"

He tried to move his left arm, but was met with painful opposition. Grimacing, he used his other and put himself in a sitting position.

"I'm going to take off your shirt. It's going to hurt," Charlie said. "Ok?"

"O…Ok."

Charlie reached behind his nephew and quickly whipped his shirt off of him, pulling layers of skin with him. Hugo screamed, the pain in his back and shoulder unbearable. What could do this much damage? What had he done wrong?

"Nikki…I think we're going to need some serious stuff."

"Ok…ok," Nikki said, walking over. She pulled a bottle out of her pocket and walked over. "You've got a good one, Hugo. You're going to be out for at least two weeks."

"I'm only here for one more, though," Hugo said. The pain in his back began to subside a little. Not much, but enough so that he could at least talk.

"I'm sending you home," Charlie said.

"What? No. Mum's just going to Argh! What is that?"

"Salve. Bite your tongue. It'll speed along your healing. How deep do you think this is, Kevin?"

"Pretty deep."

Nikki applied more of the salve, the burn biting him every time more was put on. It was like the skin was constricting, trying to suffocate him. He struggled to breathe regularly.

"Do you think he needs medical attention?"

"It is a dragon burn. Protocol says yes. Politics says no. Can you see the headlines? 'English boy burned in dragon accident. Sam's Dragons at fault'. Do you want that over your head?"

"Look, Kev, I know you're priorities are different than mine, but he's my nephew. If I send my sister-in-law a son with an infection or whose arm is not going to have full motion again, she'll not only never talk to me, but hex me into a new dimension of pain I've never wanted to feel before. Do you understand?"

"Take him to Corina's, tell them its dragon burn and he needs an analysis and disinfectant."

"Ok. Hugo, hold on tight," Charlie said, pulling him off the ground. Hugo bit back his anguish when his left arm moved. He apparated with Charlie, his body squeezed between the gap of space and time. If he had not clung to Charlie, he would have fallen over when they emerged in a large, white room.

"Ah, Charlie, nice to see you," a woman said, her accent thick.

"Corina, this is Hugo. He had a bit of a run in with a dragon."

"Oooh, that's a bad one there. Come, come, I'll see what I can do."

"Thanks."

3

"Hugo!" His mum flung his arms around her son, squeezing him tightly. Hugo clenched his teeth, swallowing his pain. His mother squeezing his burn was not doing him any good.

"Relax, Hermione, he isn't dying," Charlie said, trying to ease her anxiety.

"This is your fault, you know," she snapped, letting go of Hugo. "If you had just listened to me…"

"The boy was fine! Besides, he got valuable experience. Do you know how many times I was burned? More than just that, I'll tell you. And half the time you need to go back out and finish the job."

"With Ronny's burn?" Hugo cringed at the pet name. His mum was the only one who he would let use it; anyone else, and he was yelling.

"Well…not with one that bad…he got it full on…but a lot of smaller ones can be more painful. Location is everything."

"Are you telling me that isn't the worst location?"

"Look, Hermione, I really need to get back. Nikki gave me three hours. I need half an hour to get back and fifteen minutes to reestablish the proper parameters."

"Where were Ron's parameters?"

"Mum!" Hugo shouted. "I'm fine."

"Ronald, stay out of this."

Hugo rolled his eyes and trotted up the stairs to his room. He sat on his chair, carefully avoiding contact with the back, and took off his shirt. It felt better without the cloth rubbing against it.

Why did his mum have to make such a big deal about this? There was no permanent damage; it would completely heal. He just had to hang in until then. Corina had done a good job, making it so he didn't even have to wear bandages. It was dark out, getting late. He flopped on his bed and fell asleep. He had plans with Al tomorrow.

Hugo stared at the first dragon, the massive needle and syringe in his hand. The beast was completely immobile. He knew it was harmless now. But still, the muscles twitching under his hide, the way his mouth dripped thick saliva to the ground, the way his eyes darted back and forth, his entire demeanor indicating that he wasn't happy. At all.


	10. Chapter 10

"I can't believe how protective my mum is being," Hugo groaned, lying down on his stomach on the floor of the Burrow. Al sat on the couch, his prosthetic leg propped on pillows, ice placed above where his knee would be.

"You are her youngest, and her only son, and the one who looks most like her husband. She's more invested in you. Despite what she says, she knows Rose could never do half of what you'll do."

"I know for a fact that my mother wouldn't be as concerned for Rose as she is for me, and it has nothing to do with me. It's that Rose is a Gryffindor." He put his head down on the pillow. It was cool, and red, clearly one of James's. Al was using the blue ones.

"You think?"

"I know."

"Don't let it bother you. You're a Ravenclaw. You know there are many positions Gryffindors are not suited for."

"Like diplomacy," Hugo spat.

"Anything that involves patience, really," Al said, turning a page.

"I don't have your patience."

"I'm not saying you do. I'm saying that you need to remember who you are and what you are. You aren't a Gryffindor. So what?"

"My parents don't see it that way."

"Hugo, really, you need to ignore them sometimes."

"Yeah…because they'd really let me do that."

"Just relax a bit."

"I can't Al." Hugo could feel his ears begin to burn. He took a deep breath, wincing at how it caused his skin to stretch across his back, and bit his anger.

"You're already calmer than James. Merlin knows Fred can't wait longer than you. Teddy…Teddy's an exception."

"He always is."

"Did someone say my name?" Teddy walked into the room and sat in the chair at Hugo's feet.

"You ready for the wedding tomorrow?" Al asked.

"Hell no," Teddy said. "Gwen isn't doing much better, either. She went to see a couple of friends a few days ago and hasn't come back."

"That isn't normal," Al said. "She doesn't do that."

Hugo looked at his cousin and then at his friend; he could see Teddy getting anxious. Al had known Gwen in her seventh year. Hugo had been told she tutored him in potions for a while.

"I know," Teddy sighed. "I sent Onyx with a letter. She hasn't responded yet."

"Do…do you think she'd just ditch you like that?" Al asked, putting down his book.

"I hope not," Teddy said, folding his hands behind his head. "I don't want to talk about this. You guys want to go to Diagon Ally?"

"I want to sleep," Hugo muttered, pushing his face against the pillow. The heat of the summer wrapped around him, urging him to take a nap.

"I want to finish this book before Lily comes home," Al said. "It's been pleasantly quiet around here without the house feuds."

"Well…I need to get out of here," Teddy said, standing up. He disapparated. Hugo closed his eyes and let the warmth of summer whisk him away into a blissful place of slumber and rest.

3

Hugo stood next to Al and looked into Teddy's room. Neither boy had ever seen him like this. He just laid there, staring at the ceiling. He didn't move. He didn't talk. Hugo wondered if he even breathed.

"What do you want?" Al asked. "What can I get for you?"

Teddy turned his head in their direction, his eyes bloodshot. He shook his head and returned to staring at the ceiling.

"We should make sure that Flora isn't giving Lil' too much trouble," Al muttered, walking down the stairs. Hugo followed after him, the lovesick man making him nauseous. There was only so much of that stuff Hugo could handle.

"Oh, hey Vicky," Al said, sitting at the table.

"Where is he?" she asked.

"In his room."'

Vicky dashed up the stairs, her eyes wide.

"What is Vicky doing here?" Lily asked, sliding by Hugo to the kitchen.

"Dunno," Al said. "Probably trying to get Teddy out of bed."

"Do you guys want something to eat?" Lily rummaged around cabinets, pulling out boxes.

"Nah," Al said.

"Where's Flora?" Hugo asked. "Aren't you supposed to be watching her?"

"She's sleeping," Lily said. She came out of the kitchen, a brownie in her hand.

Al jumped out of his seat.

"Where did you get that?" He pointed his finger incriminatingly at the pastry.

"Sorry, last one," Lily said, heading back up the stairs.

"Damn it," Al muttered, resuming his seat and crossing his arms. "I don't know how she manages to always get the last one…"

"So…do you think Teddy'll be alright?" Hugo asked, carefully sitting down. His burn stung as his skin pressed against the back of the chair.

"Probably. Don't know why he wouldn't. He handled breaking up with Vicky fine."

"True, but he never proposed to Vicky."

3

"Dad, can I go to a quidditch game with Fred and Jim?" Rose asked, pushing her eggs around her plate.

"Who else is going? Just you three?" Hugo's dad said, his mouth half full.

"I think Greg and Walt are going to meet us there."

"Greg?" their dad said, his voice reprimanding.

Hugo bit back a grin. It seemed his father wasn't as oblivious as he thought. Did he know Rose was seeing him, or was the name just unfamiliar?

"Is he the one whose sweatshirt you have?" His tone was flat, harsh, disapproving.

"Dad…Fred and Jim stole all my sweatshirts and it was the middle of winter! What was I supposed to do?" She brandished her fork admonishingly.

"Relax, Ron," their mum said, stirring her coffee. "It's just a sweatshirt."

Hugo couldn't help but guffaw at that. His mother, purportedly one of the most intelligent people in all the ministry, could not see what his father knew, or at least seemed to know. Rose and Greg had started seeing each other at the end of the previous year and had exchanged spit in the third floor broom closet on more than one occasion. Hugo wouldn't be surprised if they had started exchanging something else, too.

"Do you need money?"

"No."

"Why? Is Greg paying?" his dad stared at Rose, his eyes narrowed.

"No. I've been working, you know that."

"You can't use your savings."

"I'm not going to use my savings. I've stocked up my spending money all month for this."

Their parents exchanged a few quick glances.

"You can go," their dad said.

"Thank you! We're leaving in a half an hour, so I need to go to the Burrow soon." She ran upstairs to change.

"Hugo; are you and Al doing anything this weekend?" his dad asked.

"The usual."

"Is Al working?"

"He's writing articles for _The Prophet_."

"And you?"

Hugo looked at his father, silent. He wasn't working. His father knew that. He was supposed to get paid for his work in Romania, but that would only be a pittance to what he should have gotten because of his burn. His treatment was extracted and he didn't get paid for the days he missed.

"That's what I thought. You're working in the ministry for the rest of the summer."

"What?" Hugo felt like he had been hit with stupefy.

"You're working in August. From the first to thirtieth."

Hugo stared at his father.

"It isn't healthy for a young man to be holed up in a house all day," his mother said tartly.

"Mum! What did you two do before your sixth year? Huh? Nothing. Yeah. That's what I thought. Neither of you had any jobs."

"It was different, then," his mother said.

"Not by much."

"We were helping Harry."

"Oh, come on. You can't expect me to believe that there weren't hours where you just sat in the Burrow, not doing anything!"

"Hugo, we aren't arguing this point," his father said sternly. "And we aren't talking about our fifth or sixth year. Understood?" The man's face was red, but his voice calm. He was angrier now than he had been after Rose had ruined his best robes.

"Bye, dad, mum, Hugo; I'll be back tonight."

Hugo turned to see Rose come down the stairs. She was smothered in Harpies' paraphernalia. Her hair was pulled back in pigtails and her face was covered in paint. Their father audibly groaned, his allegiance to the Cannons notoriously strong and unyielding. Rose disappeared in a green flash.

"How come Rose doesn't have to work at the ministry?" Hugo said.

"She's got a job at St. Mungo's."

"I thought she was working at Madame Malkins?" Ron said.

"No, definitely St. Mungo's. She works with Vicky."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"It doesn't matter; Hugo, you still have to work at the ministry. You have this week to mope around, and then next week you need to work."

"What if I don't want to?"

"You'll manage."

"I'm not going to win this argument, am I?"

"No."

"I'm going to the Burrow."


	11. Chapter 11

"That's kind of harsh, don't you think?" Al said, turning a page in his book.

"I don't know; you think? I was debating letting loose some dung bombs in their bed."

"Fred's bombs?"

"Yeah."

"They'd just get angrier with you. Besides, it does not befit a Ravenclaw to exact revenge. Leave that to the Slytherins."

"I know. I just wish there was something I could do." Hugo stretched out on the floor. His burn had started to scab and as such began itching.

"Suck it up and work at the ministry. It can't be that bad."

"Says the boy who earns his money writing book reviews for the prophet."

"Hey, I needed to do something while held up with my leg. My brain was the only thing working right, and I haven't fallen back into the practice of letting it rot. Excuse me."

"Whatever."

"It'll stimulate you. You haven't picked up a book all month. We haven't discussed politics or played chess since you got back from Romania. You're in a rut. You need to get back on track."

"I'm not in a rut."

"Whatever, Hugo." Al turned a page.

3

Hugo stared at the robes his mother had given him in compliance with the ministry dress code. As an underling, he got the wonderful impression they were not going to be flattering on him. Not to mention they were Gryffindor red. The thought of wearing them sent shivers down his back. Why did he have to wear the red ones? Biting back his fierce house loyalty, he slipped into them, the fabric coarse against his skin and scab.

"Ronnie, are you ready yet? You're going to be late!" she called up the stairs. Leaving behind the comfort of his room and the bliss associated with summer vacation, he went downstairs to greet his fate.

He ignored Rose smirking at him from the table, his father gazing solemnly over his newspaper, and his mother busily hustling around the kitchen, trying to figure out where she put her quill.

"I'm going on ahead," Hugo said, taking a pinch of floo powder. "Don't want to be late for the first day on the job." He threw it into the fire and stepped inside.

"Ministry of Magic!"

3

"So, Hugo," Al asked, closing his book and looking across the table with a serious expression on his face. "How do you like the ministry?"

Hugo groaned and rubbed his face. He didn't want to talk about the ministry, about work, about what he was going to do when he graduated. His mother had seen his O.W.L.s that had just come in. He qualified to continue in every subject but divination, which was no surprise to anyone. And with this newfound knowledge, she had been urging him incessantly to consider going into the ministry.

"After three weeks working there, you'd think I'd become acclimated to it," Hugo muttered.

"No?"

"I hate it. The only thing I get to do is run around with papers. The people I give them to don't even know what to do with them. It's like I'm delivering letters to dogs."

"Where do you work?"

"Department of Games and Sports."

"Well no wonder, you are delivering them to a bunch of dogs. No one there knows a donkey from a horse."

"Yeah…"

"But you know you love it anyway."

Hugo stared at Al, his jaw clenched. There was no way he enjoyed it. No way. He couldn't like it. He couldn't work there. Sure, he had a bit of freedom there, given assignments and left to do them, but that didn't mean he liked it. And it was true that he hadn't run into his mother or any other member of his family. But he still had to…and he…damn it. He hated when Al was right.

"Oh, come on, don't go and tell me you don't enjoy it. Every time I went by your place, it was 'Hugo's still at the ministry' or 'Hugo went to bed. He's been working an awful lot, lately' or 'I'm sorry, Al, I can't come out to play. I've got to finish these papers for tomorrow'. I thought you were possessed for a while there."

"I'm not possessed. I want a new broom."

"Why? Are you going to play quidditch this year?"

"No."

"Then why do you want a broom?"

"Why wouldn't I?"

"Because you don't need one. And, unlike some of your cousins, you're a bit more frugal than most Weasleys, and that's saying something."

Hugo crossed his arms and scowled. It wasn't his fault he had the skills of conservation.

"Look, all I'm saying is that you know you like it. You know you do. You know you belong there. There is no point in denying it. And you know you hated the dragons. Sure, it might have been cool, but do you really want that to be your life, like Charlie? Never getting married, never having kids…you're a Weasley, and family's important to you. Hey, don't grimace like that. You should be proud of who you are – a member of one of the oldest wizarding families. Just suck it up, will you? Stop denying who you are."

"Whatever. I need to go."

Hugo stood up and walked over to the chimney.

"Why? Need to do some paper work?"

Sometimes, Al didn't know when to shove it. He took after his brother in that respect. Hugo threw some floo powder on the fire and disappeared in a puff of smoke.

3

"Merlin, Hugo, stop moving!" Rose snapped, almost stabbing the boy with her needle.

"What do you want me to do? Turn to stone?" Hugo said, crossing his arms.

"Put your arms back out. Do you want this done right nor not?"

"I'm going back to Hogwarts regardless. Ow!"

"That's what you get for crossing me, Ronald Hugo." Rose pulled the needle out of Hugo's leg. "Now I need to finish this. So stop squirming. I was supposed to meet up with the guys thirty minutes ago."

"You should send them an owl telling them you'll be late."

Rose stabbed Hugo again.

"Why do you keep doing that?"

"Because you're being an annoying brat. Just because you're taller than me does

not mean you get to be the bully. That's my job, got it?"

Hugo kept quiet and looked around the kitchen. He wished there was some way he could keep himself busy. But, of course, there wasn't.

"Hey Al," Rose said, sewing up a piece of thread with an amount of skill that always impressed Hugo.

"Rose, Hugo," Al greeted. He took a seat at their kitchen table, glancing at the brother and sister prepare for their next adventure into the realm of Hogwarts. Hugo glanced at him, a sense of relief surging through him. Al might be able to keep him occupied.

"So, Al, what courses are you taking next year?" Hugo asked. He already knew the answer, but it got Al riled up when he talked about failing the practical defense against the dark arts exam. Everything else was nearly perfect.

"Evidently not defense against the dark arts," he said bitterly. "Ancient runes, Arithmancy, charms, transfiguration, potions, astronomy, muggle studies, and history of magic."

"Why are you taking history of magic?" Rose asked, disgust giving her voice an edge.

"Because I can't continue with defense against the dark arts!" Al was frustrated, his usually calm demeanor cracking under the anger. "And it was for something stupid, too, like I forgot to do the shield at the right time. I can do bloody magic without spells! But no, that's upper level magic; no damn fifth year could know that."

Al crossed his arms and glared at Hugo standing on the chair. Hugo struggled to hold in his laughter. In a few seconds, Al was back on fire.

"You know what? Right before I left, I was learning about occlumency. Occlumency! Did they ask me about that? No. The imperius curse? No. You know what they wanted to know? How do you kill a bloody werewolf? Do I know how to kill a bloody werewolf, Hugo?"

"Nope."

"No. I don't. That's damned care for magical creatures. Not fucking defense against the dark arts."

"Calm down, Al," Rose said. "You're making me want to stab Hugo again, and he's going to need a few bandages already."

Hugo grimaced as another needle lodged itself in his ankle.

"I'm going to kill you, Rose," Hugo said.

"Whatever, I'm done for now. You can get down now."

Hugo pulled off his robes and left them on the chair for Rose to finish later. .

"Al, is Lily still at the Burrow?" Rose asked, tucking her needles away in her sewing box.

"I think so."

"Ok, thanks." With a crack, she disapparated.

"So, Hugo, when are you going to go to Diagon Ally?" Al asked, putting his hands behind his head in an attempt to calm himself down.

"I'm not sure. My parents haven't given me the list, yet."

"Are you working this weekend?"

"No."

"You want to go then and help me keep an eye on Lily? My parents won't trust her alone after what happened last year with…you know…"

"Bones?"

"Yeah."

"That image always creeps me out."

"Besides, she'll want to show you her new prefect badge."

"She made prefect? Why didn't you tell me sooner! Come on, we need to get Teddy and take her out for some ice cream. No?"

"Yeah….I suppose we do. And Vicky, too, if we can get her."

"We need to get her some silver polish, and a green cloth," Hugo said.

"Let's go get Teddy and Vicky," Al said. "We can work out the kinks after we have them. They might have the polish and handkerchief already."

"Ok."

"I'll meet you at Teddy's."

Al disapparated.


	12. Chapter 12

"Alright, Lil," Teddy said, mixing the remnants of his sundae together. "This is it. The end of your irresponsibility."

"Like I was irresponsible to begin with," Lily said, a grin on her face.

"Don't interrupt the Teddy when he's giving his speech," Hugo said, sarcasm dripping from his voice. Teddy loudly cleared his throat and continued.

"As I was saying, this is the end of your irresponsibility, the beginning of a new stage in your life, and now you enter the ranks of prefects."

"Just what you always wanted, I'm sure," Al said. Hugo grinned; he couldn't help it. Lily had enough trouble with her classes without the added weight of prefect duties. Add this to the expectations Slytherin had for their prodigal keeper, Hugo knew she would be easily overwhelmed.

"Albus Severus! Don't interrupt the Teddy when he's giving his speech," Lily said in a decent imitation of Hugo. Vicky grinned and swallowed a spoonful of ice cream.

"As I was saying," Teddy said, his voice beginning to sound strained with anger even though he was grinning the whole time, "come this year, you'll have more responsibility than you've ever had. You're going to be stretched, tested, manipulated, teased, taunted, bribed, and potentially threatened. But take heart, my dear cousin! You will be battered and strained, stretched and pushed to the limit, but always know that these two will be there to help you out at Hogwarts, and both of us will be only an owl away. Got it?"

"Yep," Lily replied, plucking the cherry off the top of her sundae.

"And you have your house to rely on."

"If the Slytherins will give you any," Hugo muttered. Al jabbed him harshly in the ribs.

"Anyway…there's this too," Vicky said. She pulled out of her bag a small packaged wrapped haphazardly in green paper. "Sorry for the presentation. The genius here came over to my place and demanded I give him the box. He wrapped it." She motioned to Al. Al just folded his arms and gazed at his sister.

"As a prefect, everyone will be watching you, waiting until you make a mistake," Teddy explained. "And you need to be as perfect as you possibly can in the eyes of the other houses. It's not so much in your own house. But…I don't know the Slytherins like you. But I do know the other houses look to find any reason to pound down the Slytherins, and some of the things prefects do makes them an easy target. Don't do anything that could be deemed useless, don't get caught trying to help out your house, don't get put on academic probation, and – above all – don't walk around with a lackluster badge."

"Can I open it, now?" Lily asked, weighing the package in her hand.

Teddy nodded. Lily skillfully tore the wrapper off. She stared at the dark wood box, admiring the carvings on the lid. Engraved there, Hugo knew, was her name. She undid the silver latch and lifted the cover. She stared at its contents – a green handkerchief embroidered in silver and with the Slytherin emblem and a bottle of silver polish.

"It's for your badge. And when you've graduated, it makes a pretty nice box for whatever your needs," Vicky said. "Currently, mine's holding some jewelry."

"You don't have a need for silver polish?" Teddy asked.

"No. I don't really own that much jewelry and I don't own a nice set of cutlery, so what's the point? The only thing silver I do have is my prefect badge."

"So, Lily," Teddy said, his spoon dripping with ice cream. "Have you given any thought to a career?"

"Mmm…not really. I like to cook. It's about all I'm good at."

"There are other things you're good at, Lil," Al said.

"Like what?" she asked.

"Attracting boys," Al replied.

Lily's face went red. Teddy and Vicky exchanged a few glances and Hugo stared into the depths of his ice cream. He didn't really know where they were, but they had some pretty good ice cream. Good enough to make Al forget about his failing defense against the dark arts O.W.L.s and good enough to make Teddy forget about Hugo's aspirations to work with dragons. It was good enough to squander age old feuds between Gryffindors and Slytherins and good enough to get all of them together again. It was good enough to make it seem like it was before they had all gone to Hogwarts and that was good enough for him.

3

Hugo stared at the ceiling in his bedroom. Al sat next to him in a chair, flipping through Hugo's Hogwarts letter. Hugo could almost hear his anger permeate the room. Professor McGonagall had put Hugo in all the N.E.W.T. level classes he was applicable for even though he needed only a few of them to qualify for his selected career. In fact, it seemed Flitwick hadn't filled out the forms properly because the letter didn't list what his selected career was.

"They made a mistake," Hugo said casually, rolling over to face Hugo. "They didn't put down my career or my required N.E.W.T. level classes."

"Damn, Hugo," Al said, throwing the pages of required books, materials, and his schedule on the floor. "How did you manage to get so many outstandings?"

"With a brain, an attention span, and a bit of luck."

"I have all those things, and I didn't qualify for D.A.D.A."

"Not my fault I have better retention than you do."

"It's not my fault I have things to do instead of study all day."

"Actually, I think it is. And when have you ever known me to study?"

"Whatever, Hugo, so when are you going to get all this stuff?"

"Dunno. All I know is that when my mum saw the list, a look of incredulity, inexpressible joy, and panic passed across her face all at once. I don't think I've ever laughed harder."

"I think I want to punch you." Al took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. "How?"

"Will you stop it?"

"I mean, I worked almost ten times longer and harder than you did and I had some repetition from last year and you still managed to out-test me! That's never happened before."

"I'm sure the rest of my year feels the same way," Hugo said. Notoriously, he didn't study. And when he did, you'd better be nervous because it meant it was actually something difficult. And when he was nervous, you'd better be scarred witless because chances are, unless you have a photographic memory, you won't be doing well.

"I just….I just wish there was something I could say. I'm still shocked you managed to get so many outstandings. It's like…it's like you cheated or something."

"I did no such thing."

"I know, but…I'm still surprised. I mean, you want to work with bloody dragons. It's not exactly a stimulating career and you aren't exactly built for it."

"I don't want to talk about this, Al."

"Sure, sure; you've said it before, but it still bothers me. I mean, you really could be the minister--"

"No, Al. I don't want to. That's that. Let it go. You become minister."

"I'm not qualified."

"You're more qualified than I am."

"No, I'm not. You have an incredible ability to think things through and remember things. You shouldn't throw it away like you are."

"I'm not throwing it away."

"Yes you are!" Al stood up, his hands clenched at his side. "You are and I can't stand for it! I've been tolerant enough."

"I don't want to talk about this."

"You aren't reaching your potential."

"I do not want to talk about it. That's that."

"No it isn't."

"Al, stop it."

"Fine."

With a crack, Al disapparated.

Hugo rubbed his face, exhausted from the topic of his career. He wasn't going into the ministry. He wasn't going to live in the shadow of his mother. He wasn't going to be reminded of his father every three seconds. He wasn't going to be reminded of his family lineage every day. Yes, he was Ronald Weasley. But he was Ronald Hugo Weasley, a completely different man than his father and a different person than his mother. There was no way he was going to let himself live in their shadow. No way.


	13. Chapter 13

Al silently walked next to Hugo. Hugo didn't say anything to him. Both of them had a massive sack of books, Hugo's a bit larger than Al's. They kept checking their lists, making sure they had everything. They had been to the apothecary, the bookstore, the miscellaneous item store, and even the pet shop. Al had wanted to get Lily a new kitten since he accidentally transfigured her cat into a quill and couldn't figure out how to get it back. They had exchanged few words, and it made Hugo feel poor. Al was only trying to look out for him, and he hadn't wanted to hear it. He was only trying to help, and Hugo got angry with him.

They turned into the back of the Leaky Cauldron, still silent, and put their multiple packages on a table before sitting down. They ordered two tall glasses of pumpkin juice and waited for the rest of the Weasleys to be finished in Diagon Ally.

The little grey kitten in his carrier mewed. Al gave him some milk, gently petting the miniature head with his index finger. Hugo cracked open his arithmancy book, and his gut reaction was not a good one. There were literally lines of numbers and figures and explanations filling each page in a small font. It made him dizzy to look at it for too long. This was not going to be an easy course.

"Hey, Hugo, Al," Lily said, dumping her stuff next to theirs. She sat down next to Al, Molly shortly behind her.

"This is for you," Al said, giving her the little kitten.

Lily squealed with delight, something that Hugo was always surprised at hearing, and pulled the little kitten out of its cage. It mewed at her and she fawned over it.

"It's sooo cute!" Molly said, gently caressing its back.

"Does it have a name?" Lily asked Al, her eyes wide.

"No, you get to name him."

"What do you think I should name him?" She put the small animal against her chest and stroked its small body. Hugo could hear it purring.

"Dunno; what do you think, Hugo?" Al asked.

"Chris," Hugo replied with a shrug. He really had no idea.

"I don't like it," Lily said, shaking her head. "How about Aspen?"

"Aspen?" Both boys looked at her incredulously. What kind of a name was that?

"Yes. I saw it somewhere…I can't remember where…maybe it was on a book or something."

"That's a nice name," Molly said. "So how is little Aspen doing? Is he hungry?"

The little cat meowed. Hugo shook his head and drained his juice. Soon, the other Weasleys showed up. Rose was with James and Fred, the three of them soon followed by Louis, Roxann, and Lucy. His parents and the Potters showed up after everyone else was there.

"Alright; all goods go in Harry's car, all people in mine!" Hugo's father said, beckoning all the Weasley clan towards his car.

"I'm going with Fred and James," Rose said.

"Where are you going?" their father said, glancing at his daughter.

"We're going to a gobstones tournament. Greg's playing."

"Greg, huh?"

"Yep. Fred wants to throw some rocks at him."

"Alright, go ahead. Just make sure you give him a sour sucker for me."

"Ok, dad. I'll see you later."

Rose returned to where Fred and James were standing, the two of them clearly mocking their younger cousin. Rose's cheeks were red, but Hugo wasn't allowed to dwell on it.

"Al, you're up front with me. Hugo, Louis, and Lily in the far back. Roxann, Molly, Louis, and Lucy, you guys can have the middle, sorry for the cramped quarters. I couldn't get a permit to expand it," Hugo's mum said, motioning to the little green car.

"Are you sure I have to sit with Lily and Hugo?" Louis asked, his freckled face crinkled in disdain.

"Yeah, you have to sit with us," Hugo said, ruffling his blonde hair.

Louis groaned and slid into the back-facing seats, the middle one, and buckled his belt. Lily scrambled to one side, careful not to let her pants go down or her shirt slide up. Hugo plopped himself on his little cousin's other side.

"You're both too big for this," Louis complained, crossing his arms.

"Shut up, you," Lily said, smacking the side of his head.

"I hate sitting next to you. You're always so mean to me."

"I'm not mean," Lily said, crossing her arms.

"Yes you are. You're a Slytherin."

"That doesn't mean anything."

"Obviously it does. You're the worst one."

"Shut up, Louis," Hugo said. "It's vacation. House feuds stay at Hogwarts. Got it?"

"Why should I? You're just a Ravenclaw. You don't know what you're talking about."

"Louis!" Al shouted over his shoulder. "Don't insult other houses while in the car! Hugo can't deck you properly. If you're going to insult it, do in an open field. Got it? It's only polite. Right, Lily?"

"Yep," Lily said, her face red.

Hugo grinned to himself. He and Rose had never had to initiate that pact, both of them acknowledging that they'd both end up very much in pain. It was common in families of mixed houses to claim it; house slander had to be done outside, in a field, so the pair could inevitably resort to fists. The most violent Hugo had witnessed had been between James and Al. James had been complaining about how ridiculous his Ravenclaw partners were being in potions and how they're all a bunch of stupid know it alls and Al snapped. It wasn't like his parents blamed him; James had had it coming for awhile, with his elitist attitude toward Gryffindor, and Al also harbored feelings of compassion for Lily, recently sorted into Slytherin, who James was continually ragging on. All in all, James deserved every bit of scathing pain Al gave him.

"I don't care," Louis said.

Hugo pinched him in the side.

"Hey!" Louis shouted, pushing Hugo back. It didn't do much harm to the bigger boy. "Don't bully me!"

"Don't insult other houses," Hugo said.

"Didn't you ever hear the story about how Teddy nearly got expelled from Hogwarts because he got in a fist fight with a Slytherin?" Lily said.

"We're just looking out for your best interests, really," Hugo said.

"Without this information, where would you be?"

"Shut up," Louis said, crossing his arms obstinately.

Hugo glanced at Lily and grinned. It was moments like this that reminded him of his childhood before Hogwarts, where he and Lil would run around the Burrow, messing around with Jim and Al. He wasn't sure when it changed; probably after she got into Hogwarts and was sorted into Slytherin. She started hanging around with them, and he hung out more with Al. They still got along perfectly well; even better than he and Al, sometimes. A part of him missed the days when they didn't have to worry about house politics or anything of the sort. But deep down, he knew he reveled in it and wouldn't exchange it for anything in the world.

Lily chuckled and glanced out the back window.


	14. Chapter 14

"Hugo, you can't just sit there all day and expect to have a good time," Uncle Percy said, sitting next to his nephew on the grass behind Shell Cottage

"Hugo, you can't just sit there all day and expect to have a good time," Uncle Percy said, sitting next to his nephew on the grass behind Shell Cottage.

"I am having a good time," Hugo said, sitting up. He winced as his skin, burned from exposure to the sun all day, stretched and pinched. It's what he got for being a Weasley and refusing to wear a shirt. Uncle Percy stretched out on the ground and stared at the stars.

"Yeah?"

"Yep."

His Uncle Percy was one of Hugo's favorites. Hugo, Al, and he would always get in arguments over a certain policy of the Wizarding Confederation or an idea being supported by the Wizengamot. Percy was as stubborn as a donkey, but he was much more knowledgeable about such things than Al's father, and easier to yell at than Hugo's mum. Half the time it ended in a wrestling match between Hugo and Percy, but it was all in good fun.

"Sometimes, I think you remind me too much of myself," Uncle Percy said, staring at Hugo down the bridge of his nose.

"Yeah?" Hugo laid down next to his uncle, relishing in the cool grass against his red back.

"I'm not even sure how you ended up in Ravenclaw, to be honest. You've too much Weasley in you to be a Ravenclaw."

"I'm perfectly fitted to Ravenclaw," Hugo said docilely. "You know that as well as I do."

"I know…I know…but sometimes I wonder. I mean, you're doing the same things I was doing at your age. I couldn't wait to get out of the shadow of my father, and his shabby, second-rate reputation. It seemed like wherever I went, whatever I did, the fact that I was a Weasley always got in the way. My first girlfriend dumped me because she thought I would never be able to climb out of the hole my family had dug for me. I know it's a bit different for you. You have a different kind of hole. Both your parents are war heroes. That isn't something you can live lightly with. One of them is a reformer, the other a partner in one of the most successful joke shops of all time."

"You know I don't really care about that," Hugo said.

"Don't make me laugh; every time you even suggest that I can tell you're lying. You may be a genius, but you're still a Weasley."

Hugo rolled over and punched him. Percy walloped him back.

"It's true, Hugo," Percy said. "No matter what you do, you always feel like you're competing with your parents. But I have something to tell you, kid. No matter what you do, if you do it good enough, then people will forget that you're a Weasley, that you're Ron and Hermione's son, and even that you're a Ravenclaw. I couldn't even tell you the house of twelve people in my office. And with your intelligence, I doubt that you're going to live in the shadow of your parents for much longer."

Hugo watched the moon, silent. He hated it when his uncle was right. And of all the uncles to ever be right, it's always Percy. He hated Percy.

"Just do what you want to do. Don't let trying to break the mold effect what you do. I've made that mistake, and luckily I managed to fix it. But I've seen people – some of my friends, in fact, make the mistake and are unable to fix it. I got lucky. That's all there is to it."

"Hugo! Percy! You want to light the fire?" Teddy yelled from the edge of the beach.

Percy and Hugo exchanged glances. Without a word, the pair of them jumped to their feet and raced to the fire pit, the first one there earning the honor of putting something on fire.

3

"Ronald," Professor Flitwick said, opening a file in front of him. "I hear you've had a change of heart?"

"Yes, professor."

"You're a lucky man. Anyone less intelligent than you might have quite a snag figuring out what courses they can take with the O.W.L.s they got. They might not be able to change their path, you know."

"I know."

"So you'd like to work at the ministry, then?"

"Yes, sir."

"A fine choice, a very fine choice."

333

AN: Thank you for reading and your reviews (junebride, Mistymist, teacher123, Ramzes, Maria Weasley, Queen Nightingale). I'll be watchful for some of the stuff mentioned in future stuffz. D


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